Malicious Minecraft apps on Play Store scamming millions of users
According to Kaspersky, it is a new and improved version of the malware that its researchers have discovered in the past. This time, the infected app opens the browser after every few seconds and displays a full-screen ad, eventually rendering the device disabled.
About Minecraft malware
Kaspersky researchers identified an add-on that hides the icon after it is launched the very first time. The infected app then repeatedly opens the device’s browser to play YouTube videos, display flash ads, or launch the Google Play app page apart from exposing victims to various new threats.
One of the malicious Minecraft modpacks in Google Play (Kaspersky)
Furthermore, since the game is designed in Java, it becomes more vulnerable to attacks as third-party developers can construct modpacks or compatible apps to customize users’ gaming experiences.
Around a Million Android Devices Infected
Reportedly, nearly 20 malicious mods were discovered between July and November 2020. Researchers also confirmed that the fake Minecraft mods had infected more than one million Android devices.
SEE: 50,000 Minecraft users infected with hard drive wiping malware
To conclude, as with every such case, we would advise users to always look at the reputation and reviews of an app before downloading it. In fact, in this case, most such apps are said to have 1-star reviews – a classic red flag for people to recognize.
If you have installed any such app that looks suspicious or has been charging you subscriptions, it is important to cancel the subscription first through Google Play Store before uninstalling the app.
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